A Low-Cost Robot Ready for Any Obstacle

CMU, Berkeley researchers design robust legged robot system. This little robot can go almost anywhere. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science and the University of California, Berkeley, have designed a robotic system that enables a low-cost and relatively small legged robot to climb and descend stairs nearly its height; traverse rocky, slippery, uneven, steep and varied terrain; walk across gaps; scale rocks and curbs; and even operate in the dark. "Empowering small robots to climb stairs and handle a variety of environments is crucial to developing robots that will be useful in people's homes as well as search and rescue operations," said Deepak Pathak , an assistant professor in the Robotics Institute. "This system creates a robust and adaptable robot that could perform many everyday tasks." The team put the robot through its paces, testing it on uneven stairs and hillsides at public parks, challenging it to walk across steppingstones and over slippery surfaces, and asking it to climb stairs that, for its height, would be akin to a human leaping over a hurdle. The robot adapts quickly and masters challenging terrain by relying on its vision and a small onboard computer. A robotic system designed by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science and the University of California, Berkeley, enables small, low-cost legged robots to maneuver in challenging environments.